The connection between what is heard and listened to by the ear of a subject and the subject's spoken voice is well recognized. Additionally, it is well recognized that hearing occurs through two distinct pathways: air conduction, which stimulates the cochlear system, and bone conduction (vibration of sound carried by the skeletal frame). Bone conduction delivery of sound occurs when the sound vibration is transmitted to the inner ear through the bones of the skeletal framework. This process stimulates the vestibular/cochlear and somatosensory systems as well as the central nervous system. Stimulating these physiological systems with the low frequencies carried by bone conduction tends to have a relaxing, stabilizing effect; it also influences the ability for spatial equilibrium and balance, as well as the ability to modulate sensory input and to process information. Many devices and methods, including those utilizing bone conduction have been directed toward assisting those with cochlear hearing and vestibular ear difficulties to hear better with an accompanying improvement in speech. Evidence of devices and methods can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,101,081, 3,043,913, 4,021,611, 4,212,119, 4,327,252 and 4,615,680 to Tomatis, U.S. Pat. No. 1,969,559 to Kelly and U.S. Pat. No. 3,101,390 to Maille, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In addition to providing the sense of hearing, the vestibular system is the primary organ of equilibrium and plays a major role in the sensation of motion and spatial orientation; it also provides input to the nervous system, adjusting muscle activity, body posture, and stabilizes the eyes during head movements. It is known that vestibular stimulation through air and bone conducted sound can enhance neurological development, and can be used in the treatment of autism, Asperger's, sensory processing disorder, and ADHD. It is widely recognized that the early detection of autism in children is fundamental to effective treatment. However, with very young children, because of the prior art device configurations, effective vestibular stimulation through sound is difficult.
Vestibular stimulation therapy of the prior art has consisted of the delivery of sound through headphones and the delivery of sound through headphones in conjunction with bone conduction delivery through a device attached to the headphones or the person's head. Although effective, the use of the headphones and bone conduction devices attached to a person's head may be uncomfortable and impractical in certain settings. Clearly with infants and small children such headphones and bone conduction devices are not practical; and in any application, such headphones and bone conduction devices can become unintentionally displaced, and therefore ineffective, through the movement of the individual. Further, such headphones and bone conduction devices cannot be applied to provide vestibular stimulation to a fetus in-utero.
Dr. Alfred A. Tomatis postulated and it is well recognized by others that: 1. The voice only contains that which the ear can hear; if you can't hear it, you won't be able to speak it; 2. the ear is like a battery to the brain, with a primary function of converting sound waves to electrical pulses to charge the cortex of the brain; 3. hearing is passive, listening is active and conscious, like the difference between seeing and looking; listening and looking are active focusing processes; 4. the quality of one's listening affects spoken and written language development, alertness, creativity, and the ability to focus; listening also influences communication and shapes social skills, confidence, and self-image; 5. communication begins in utero; an unborn child hears from the 4th month after conception; sound literally helps the brain and nervous system of the fetus to develop. Dr. Tomatis further mapped out and postulated that certain filtered frequencies corresponded to stimulation of certain body and mind properties: frequencies between 0 and 750 Hz corresponded to balance, coordination, motor skills, muscle tone, body awareness, and rhythm; frequencies between 750-3,000 Hz corresponded to memory, concentration, attention, receptive and expressive language; and frequencies greater than 3,000 Hz corresponded to integrating emotion, creativity, and higher cognitive thinking
Auditory therapy, including bone conduction, treatment and filtering of music and sounds, and gating are well known in the prior art. Such therapy methods are premised upon the concept of neuroplasticity which holds that throughout the life of the subject new neural connections can be established through stimulation and training Prior to the present disclosure, such auditory therapy has been limited to air conduction and bone conduction listening of music, speech, sounds, and the subject's own spoken voice. No attempt had been made to simultaneously utilize visual tracking stimuli, movement stimuli, and auditory stimuli in such therapy to integrate and refine the cochlear and vestibular signal with that of the other senses.
It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a method of training that systematically integrates auditory, visual, vestibular, and movement sensory inputs.
It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a wirelessly transmitted program of treated music and sounds to wireless bone conduction headphones having a streamlined open ear fit allowing for participation in group exercise/therapy classes, group activities, and socialization. Air conduction signals, if desired, are then outputted via loud speakers to each user in the group setting. Such a program is primarily targeted at seniors who wish to maintain and improve balance during daily activities, but is contemplated as useful in such settings as aerobics classes, sports team training, and schools, etc.
It is another objective of the present disclosure to provide a bone conduction device for stimulation of the vestibular and somatosensory systems that may be utilized with young children and infants including pre-mature infants.
It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a bone conduction device for stimulation of the vestibular and somatosensory systems of a fetus in utero.
It is another object of the present disclosure to provide a bone conduction device for stimulation of the vestibular systems in individuals who receive little or no intrinsic vestibular stimulation as a result of their own limited or lack of movement.
It is another objective of the present disclosure to provide a bone conduction device for stimulation of the vestibular and somatosensory systems that remains effective even when the position of the transducer is displaced by the motion of the individual.
It is another objective of the present disclosure to provide a bone conduction device for stimulation of the vestibular and somatosensory systems that does not require head phones or attachment to the individuals head.
It is another objective of the present disclosure to provide a bone conduction device for stimulation of the vestibular and somatosensory systems that may be comfortably worn and provides stimulation during periods of physical activity and inactivity, including sleep.
It is another objective of the present disclosure to provide a bone conduction device for stimulation of the vestibular and somatosensory systems that includes one or more multi-sensory experiences including but not limited to temperature control, aroma therapy, and/or light therapy.